Brian Stokes Mitchell
BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL Dubbed "the last leading man" by The New York Times, Brian Stokes Mitchell can trace the lineage of this very performance all the way back to his awkward theatrical debut as Conrad Birdie at San Diego Jr. Theatre at the age of 14. He has since enjoyed a spectacular career that spans Tony Award-winning performances on Broadway, a multitude of television and film appearances, performances at our nation's capital and a warmly received cabaret debut at Feinstein's at the Regency earlier this year. His Broadway career includes the starring role of Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, for which he received a Tony nomination and the Helen Hayes Award, as well as Fred Graham/Petruchio in Kiss Me, Kate, for which he won 2000 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Other Broadway performances include Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime (Tony nomination), August Wilson's King Hedley II (Tony nomination), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jelly's Last Jam (replacing Gregory Hines) and David Merrick's Oh, Kay! where he first met his lovely wife, Allyson. His performance in Mail earned him the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. He has appeared in both Do Re Mi and Carnival at City Center's Encores! He has also added to his successful theatre career a growing list of impressive concert performances. In 1998 Stokes made his Carnegie Hall debut along with Audra McDonald in the televised Gershwin Gala with the San Francisco Symphony, and he has since performed there many times. He most recently performed at the Hollywood Bowl at its annual Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular with Marilyn Horne and the Muppets. He has performed at the inaugural of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles; with the Boston Pops Orchestra; and at Tanglewood with jazz singer Dianne Reeves. Stokes also sang during the inaugural week of the new Jazz at Lincoln Center space with Wynton Marsalis. A frequent performer in Washington, D.C., Stokes recently performed on the West Lawn of our nation's capital with one of his personal heroes, the late Ossie Davis, during the weekend dedication of the World War II memorial, which aired on PBS. He has been a frequent guest at the Kennedy Center and appeared in the title role of Sweeney Todd at the tremendously successful Sondheim Celebration. He performed at the White House for President Clinton in The Singer and the Song, which was also televised on PBS. His many TV and film credits include Dreamworks' The Prince of Egypt, a gaggle of TV movies and guest-starring roles, PBS' Great Performances and recurring roles on Crossing Jordan and Frasier. He has appeared on more than 10 albums and expects his first solo CD to be released 2006. He was voted one of People magazine's '50 Most Beautiful People.' As a writer he was a contributor to the book Hirschfeld's Harlem and wrote the preface to the latest edition of At This Theatre. For fun he has been known to fly planes AND jump out of them (though not at the same time) and can ride a bicycle on a high wire. Stokes has enjoyed working with numerous charitable organizations from the March of Dimes to the USO, and last year became the president of the Actors' Fund. Stokes resides in New York City with his wife, son and rescued mutt, Diggidy. Bio as of September, 2006. American Theatre Wing programs, interviews and/or credits include: Working in the Theatre (video) Performance - April, 2003 - Watch now. Performance - April, 1998 - Watch now. Downstage Center (audio) Brian Stokes Mitchell - July, 2006 - Listen Now. Internet Broadway Database Listing (IBDB.com) Website: www.brianstokes.com